Rifle safety attachment



Filed NOV. 20, 1950 FIG.I.

FIGS.

INVENTOR.

RAY W. FLEENOR ATTORN EYS Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES 2,595,834.-

RIFLESAFETY ATTAGHMENW Ram'VYL-Heenw', a slCiW-iMi hQ Applicationq'November 20, 1950; SerialN'm196, 630., 14'. Cla ms:' 014421-70) r The present inven merit" and more generally-designe operators. It is handed op rifle ---in-=firing position; According to the present invention a separate lever is added to the-rifle having afingerpiece thereby disposed in position to beoperated while the-ri positionbya-left-handed-userr In order 'to carry out the necessary todevise an actuator which permits actuation-of= afirs-t lever rock-ing hav -a;- second lever combinedroeking'andslidi to a-second-=axis spaced fr first'axis: Means-are provided for twolevers; together--- so as to prov support'for-thesecondarylever.

Withthe foregoing general remar it" is an object of the vide coupling means between two levers to mutually support the levers'and-to provid for rela tive' rock-ing movement between the -levers.

' orespecifically; it is an invention to-provide-means ond lever to a -first lever-whichis provided with a laterally extending pro prises an opening in-the receive the projection pl-ingmember located in interconnecting the co projection:

Morespecific invention to pr lever to a first thereon which in a ci-rcularop jection Ofi the cupxand a pin projection, the -cup bein al ly--extend-ing-.-flan sembled-relationr Other objects and feature become apparent as the 1 especially when taken inaccompanying drawings, w

Figure 1 is a fra rifle; illustrating. the conventional safety applied thereto togetherzsafety;

d for-operation -by-right handed v-coup1ing theks in mind;

second lever-adaptedto :the opening,- andmeans ovide means for coupling a second lever havinga lateral projection comprises a flanged cup received ening in the second lever, the proge---to retain thelevers-in ass of the invention will description proceeds,

herein Emirerzzisraiperspectlveiview witlrpartsbrokem 55s n the first lever; a cou-- upling' member and the tion'relates to arifieattaohu particularly to an actuator ed 7 to --a rifle to permit actuainconvenient at best for lett r era-tors to release the-safety with the foregoing-it hasbsen v l5iirig-ht hand side of the-rifle is about a-- fixed I axis: of.

ng movement-relative" om and parallel to theidea partialpresent invention to pro-- object of the present for couplinga sechand, or completely gection; WhlCh: com

ally,- it isia feature of-'the present first lever extending within the connecting the cut=to the-lateral g provided with a radi- 451; iece-$22105: the. usual sat conjunction a with thegmentary side elevation of a with the new and, improved a-wa'y illustrating the interconnection: hetweem the usual-safety" on the-rifie and tlieactuator therefore.

Figure 3 is a -frag-mentary enlarged section onthe-line-33, Figure-15 Figure 4 is asectionon---the-line-4'4,' Figured Eigurefi'isa viewsimi-lar-to Figure 4-"ill-ustrat-'-- ing the levers in position or the reception ofthe retainingpin.

Referring now. to the-drawings in Figure-=1 there-is illustrateda rifle-4 0 having-a trigger- I 2 a trigger guard l4; and a=reduced-portionof the stock l6 which is normallygripped bytheright handof' aright handed user: Mounted on the a safety lever- 18; thiselever being mounted for rocking 1 movement about afixed pivot point 20 and--having--alatera-11yor-outwardly-proj ecting fingenpiece-QZ; by means-of*which 'thedever -is normally opera-ted" by-a right-handeduser;

Itwill be observed-- that *the' fingerpiece 2-2 is inpcsitionwhere it"may-be engaged bya'right handedv user without substantially shifting; his hand-from position onthereducedportion Hiof the stock and without withdrawinghisfingers from: the tri ger guard 14:. However, when the rifle ismfired 'y a left-handed" user? the fin er piece-22 is ,in ,such.v position, that the user. must, either operate vthe safetyv lever 18 withhis'irightn disengage his ,left hand from, thekredueedportion.lfiofthestock.. v

Accordingly, in order to provide actuating; means,v for, the-Lsafety lever which is imposition.v to ,be; operated by; a left-handed user while ,hold: A ing the rifl in firing position, .there gis provided, an attachment comprising a lever 24v having; a

closely; adjacent; to the fin en piece 26-1. located;

reduced Portion 6:01. vthe; stock. The-finger piece; 6@ma ;s-thus; :operatedsbn-thethumb;oi aleita handed user without removing his 1eft-.hand:geneerally from thefiringposition.

The lever 24 .1is,;provided:with :a circularopen ing-.22 8 in such position th ety. lever; I8: Couplings; en the two-leverse- Howce:,22lcan move onlyein -pivot 'axis- 20, addimeansiare provided-betwe ever; .sincethe: fingenpie an arc .concentric with g thetionalmeans must be provided to permit the lever 2 Lto-accommodateitself to this movement of the finger piece 22. This is accomplished by. providing a special pivot support for. thealever 24 which comprises an elongated; slot 3!) receiving; atscrewt 32 threadedt into an opening dm the -receiverl-ot ftheiriflep Thus the =leverl2 is-mountedat-it:.overliesdthecfingerefor a combined swinging or rocking and sliding movement about the axis of the screw 32.

The construction which interconnects the levers l8 and 24 is best seen by reference to Figures 2-5. The lever [8 as previously described, is provided with a laterally extending finger piece or projection 22 which is provided with a pin receiving opening 34. A coupling body 36 is provided which is received within the circular opening 28 of the lever 24 and which is adapted to be connected to the finger piece 22. As best seen in Figures 3 and 5', the coupling body 36 is in the form of a cup having a closed end 38 provided with a slot or opening 40 therethrough for the reception of the finger piec 22. The cup includes a cylindrical side wall 42 having opposed openings 44 therein. At its open end the cup is provided with a radially extending flange 4G.

The coupling body 36 is retained in assembled relation on the projection 22 by a coupling pin 48 as best seen in Figure 3. As seen in this figure the pin is retained against displacement from its position within the aligned openings 34 and 44 due to the fact that portions of the lever 24 overlie the ends of the oppositely disposed openings 44.

In order to assemble the elements, the lever 24 is provided with a slot or groove 50 which extends from one edge of the lever radially into the cylindrical opening 28 through the lever. The location of the groove 50 is such that throughout the normal range of relative movement between the levers l8 and 24, the groove 50 remains out of alignment with the aligned openings 34 and 44. In order to assemble the parts the screw 32 is removed, the lever 24 is swung to a position in which the groove 56 registers with the aligned openings 34 and 44, and the pin 48 is inserted. As is best illustrated in Figure 5, the pin at this time may be moved inwardly until its lower end engages the inner surface of the circular opening 28 directly opposite to the groove 58. Thereafter, the levers are located substantially to operating position and the lever 24 is mounted on the side of the rifle by inserting the screw 32 through the elongated aperture 30.

It will be observed that the coupling body 36 is thus securely pinned to the finger piece or projection 22 on the safety lever l8. Moreover, its radially extending flange 46 serves as an abutment which prevents the free end of the lever 24 moving outwardly, and thus positively couples the two levers together. Moreover, the outer cylindrical surface of the coupling body 36 serves as a bearing against the inner surface of the circular opening 28 provided in the auxiliary or operating lever 24.

The attachment is simple to construct and requires only the boring of a hole through the lateral projection 22 and the provision of a tapped hole at the side of the rifle for the reception of the screw 32.

While the present invention has been devised particularly to provide an extension for a rifle safety in position to be operated by a left-handed usenit will be readily apparent that the coupling connection between the safety lever l8 and the auxiliary lever 24 is capable of general application and may be employed whenever it is desired to connect two levers or similar members together for relative rocking movement while retaining them against separation.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved rifie attachment in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enabl any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with the safety of a rifle, the safety being in the form of a lever having an outwardly extending operating projection movable in a vertical plane at one side of the rifle in position to be operated by the user without removing his hand from firing position on the gun, an attachment for actuating said safety lever comprising a lever, pivot means mounting said attachment lever for swinging movement in a vertical plane in a position overlying the projection on said safety lever, said attachment lever having an opening intermediate its length into which said projection extends.

2. The, structure as defined in claim 1 including means locking said projection to said attachment lever.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, said last means comprising a hollow flanged body rotatably received in the opening in said attachment lever and surrounding said projection, and a pin extending through a side of said body into the projection on said safety lever.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3, said pivot means comprising an opening in said attachment lever elongated longitudinally of said lever and a pivot element extending through said opening.

5. Means for interconnecting a first and second lever for simultaneous swinging movement about spaced parallel axes, comprising pivot mounts for said levers, the pivot mount for one of said levers including means providing for longitudinal movement of said one lever relative to the axis of its pivot mount, a lateral projection on said first lever, said second lever overlying said first lever and having a circular opening therein through which said projection extends, a retainer of circular cross-section in said opening having a flange engaging the side of said second lever remote from said first lever, and means connecting said retainer to said projection.

6. Means for interconnecting a first and second lever for simultaneous swinging movement about spaced parallel axes comprising a lateral projection on said first lever, said second lever overlying said first lever and having a circular opening therein through which said projection extends, a retainer having a side wall of circular cross-section located within said circular opening, said retainer having diametrically opposed pin-receiving openings formed at opposite sides thereof with portions of said openings disposed at opposite sides of the plane of a side of said second lever, said side of said second lever having a groove therein, said projection having a pin-receiving opening therein, said second lever being swingable before mounting into a position such that said groove registers with one of the pin-receiving openings in said retainer, a pin insertable at such time through said groove, the openings in said retainer and the opening in said projection, movement of said second lever to mounting position moving said groove out of registration with the openings in said retainer to lock said pin in position extending across said retainer and through the opening in said projection.

'7. Means for coupling a first member having a lateral projection to a second member having a circular opening in registration with said projection for relative swinging movement about the projection and the side' walls of said body have aligned openings therein, said second member having a groove formed in one side thereof extending from an edge thereof into said circular opening in a position normally out of alignment with said aligned openings, and a retainer pin insertable through said groove when aligned with said openings into said openings and retained in place by the inner surface of said circular opening when said groove is out of alignment with said aligned openings.

9. Structure as defined in claim 8, said hollow body being cup shaped and having a closed end opposite its flanged end, said closed end having a slot therein for receiving said projection.

10. A first lever having a laterally extending operating projection, means mounting said lever for rocking movement about a first axis, a second lever for moving said first lever, means mounting said second lever for combined rocking and sliding movement about a second axis spaced from and parallel to said first axis, said second lever closely overlying said first lever and having a circular opening therethrough for receiving said projection, a cup having a closed end wall, cylin drical side walls, and an open end with a radially extending fiange at its open end, said closed end wall having an opening therein for receiving said projection, said cup being located in said circular opening with its closed end adjacent said first lever and its radially extending flange disposed outwardly from the side of said second lever remote from said first lever, and means securing said cup to said projection.

11. Structure as defined in claim 10 in which said last means comprises a pin, said projection and the opposite sides of said cup having aligned openings therein, said second lever having a groove extending from one edge thereof to said circular opening in a position out of alignment with said aligned openings when said levers remain within their normal range of movement but movable into alignment therewith to permit insertion of said pin into said aligned openings, the inner surface of said circular opening preventing removal of said pin when said levers are within their normal range of movement.

12. Structure as defined in claim 11, said groove being located in the side of said second lever remote from said first lever.

13. In combination withthe safety of a rifle, the safety being in the form of a lever having an outwardly extending operating projection movable in a vertical plane at one side of the rifle in position to be operated by the user without removing his hand from firing position on the gun, an attachment for actuating said safety lever comprising a lever, pivot means mounting said attachment lever for swinging movement in a vertical plane in a position overlying the projection on said safety lever, said attachment lever having an opening intermediate its length into which said projection extends, a hollow flanged body rotatably received in the opening in said attachment lever and surrounding said projection, said projection and the side walls of said body having aligned openings therein, said attachment lever having a groove formed in one side thereof extending from an edge thereof into said opening therein in a position normally out of alignment with said aligned openings, and a retainer pin insertable through said groove when aligned with said aligned openings into the latter and retained in place by the inner surface of the opening in said attachment lever when said groove is out of alignment with said aligned open- 1ngs.

14. Means for interconnecting a first and second lever for simutlaneous swinging movement about spaced parallel axes, comprising pivot mounts for said levers, the pivot mount for one of said levers including means providing for longitudinal movement of said one lever relative to the axis of its pivot mount, a lateral projection on said first lever, said second lever overlying said first lever and having a circular opening therein throfi gh which said projection extends, a hollow retainer of circular cross-section rotatably received within said opening and surrounding said projection, said retainer having a remote from said first flange engaging the side of said second lever lever, means securing said retainer to said projection comprising a pin, said projection and the opposite sides of said retainer having aligned openings therein, said second lever having a groove extending from one edge thereof to said circular opening in a position out of alignment with said aligned openings when said levers remain within their normal range of movement but movable into alignment therewith to permit insertion of said pin into said aligned openings, the inner surface of said circular opening preventing removal of said pin when said levers are within their normal range of movement.

RAY W. F'LEENOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

